Lightblessed Part I
by Doctor0Doctor
Summary: The world of Azeroth beckons to Rii, a young halfelf orphan. He sets out on a journey carrying a mysterious shard, the only reminder of his past. Little does he know of the power that resides within it...
1. PROLOGUE Gargoyles & Screams: Year 25

_**Gargoyles & Screams: A Prologue [Year 25]**_

_ The sun shone brightly through the roads and pathways of Silvermoon. It was a great relief to the elven residence, as the last few days had been soured by a slight drizzle, making daily tasks more unpleasant and words few beyond a greeting. The sun finally showed through the clouds at midday, causing many of the elves to leave their homes to catch up with neighbours and friends, or to simply enjoy the light of the sun (as known to most, these elves worship the sun). The only signs of gloom seemed to come from a young elf treading through the drying cobblestone pathways between the towering brick homes. _

_ His black hair was plastered across his forehead from weapons training earlier that morning. As usual, he had to work twice as hard to keep up with his peers, who seemed to be able to master a new technique with ease. He was constantly struggling to keep up and he often saw his mentor study him with a troubled look before shaking his head and returning to the lesson. The young elf blamed himself, for if one looked closely, they could see his eyes held no glow, and although his ears had kept most of their length, his eyebrows were human-like, and his body suggested a more human build. The elf-boy sighed heavily as he neared the orphanage he lived in and as he approached, an elven maiden opened the door to greet him. _

"_Why were you out so late, __Ravenarii__?" she asked, using his full name._

"_I'm sorry miss," he replied, " I just couldn't….," Ravenarri looked down at his feet, "..keep up today."_

_The maiden softened, " Oh Rii," she said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder, " That's quite all right. I just worry about you."_

"_I'm truly sorry ……" he looked sullen._

"_Oh hush child. Your not to blame for what you are," she replied, and looked at him fondly, "Now come. We've got a warm meal ready for you," as she ushered him inside._

_ But Rii felt ashamed nonetheless. He hated how he wasn't as able as other elves his age. Sure, he had more strength in his blows while handling a sword, but thats as far of an advantage that he was blessed with with his human blood. He had less grace and fluidity, and was useless with a bow. He couldn't even move fast enough to counter his peers' strikes while sword training, so his strength was useless anyway. Rii didn't even know why he was assigned to these training lessons. He darkened. He DID know why he was assigned there. _

"_Rii," interrupted his thoughts. He looked up._

"_Aren't you hungry? There's still some broth left, " she gestured toward the pot on the wooden stove._

_Rii stared at it. He wasn't hungry anymore. Instead he felt an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach._

"_I don't feel well," he answered, " I think I'll just go to bed."_

_He turned to leave, then mumbled "but thank you anyway."_

_ pursed her lips in worry as she watched the elf-boy drag himself up the stairs._

_ He made his way into a room full of beds, surprisingly all unoccupied. All the other children were still playing outside, since the weather had finally cleared up. _

_So he was alone. He once again thought of the misfortune that had settled on him._

_ Being part human was bad enough, but at least a human can wield magic, something he had long since realised he couldn't do. It was the reason he has been assigned to weapons training. He couldn't even feel magic, like all high elves could. It had puzzled every magistrate, and they had had hoped to forge a cure for the high elves' addiction to magic by studying him. They eventually came to the conclusion that his human blood had somehow made him completely insusceptible to magic. However, it was only decided on that because no other conclusion could be agreed upon, and the magistrates argued bitterly. When Rii was younger, he had often wondered if there was some great secret that kept him from feeling magic, and that maybe he had a destiny somewhere. He would pretend to be a hero , who saved great cities from monsters and dragons. But at the age of 15 years, he had grown out of those dreams, and was beginning to realise how useless he really was._

_ Glancing down at his bed, he noticed a small wooden stake poking out from underneath. He bent to pick it up, and realised it was his old play sword. Rii looked upon it fondly, realising it must have fallen behind his bed at some point, and was forgotten._

_He swung it, as if to strike a foe, and thought of how his skills had improved since he last held it. Maybe he wasn't so clumsy with a sword._

_ Shouts from downstairs told him that the rest of the children were coming back inside. He glanced out the window of the room and noticed how close the sun was to the horizon. Then, glancing at his wooden sword, an idea started to form in his mind. He was remembering the spot in the forest he always went to play when he wanted to be a hero. It wasn't that far, and he could easily slip out the window onto the roof. _

_He felt that dark cloud of sadness lift as he grinned and headed towards the window, slipping out before the children clomping up the stairs had time to notice._

_ After delicately jumping off the roof to the ground, he made his way to the edge of the city. Seeing the trees was already making him feel calmer. He always enjoyed the forest, and many high elves believed this had to do with their instinctual past, before the elves began to use magic. He secretly wondered himself if he just liked being away from the other elves because he didn't fit in, but now he had not the time to think about it, as he was desperately trying to remember the way to his old play-spot._

_ He finally stumbled across the old trail he used to take and was overjoyed. Looking around him as he walked, he noticed many places that brought back fond memories. Like seeing a Springpaw cub for the first time, from the branches of a whitebark tree. And the huge white rock he always used to pretend was a dragon egg, and the hatchling would become his best friend and they would fight demons together. _

_He never did quite reach the spot he was going to, for he heard the sounds of someone running down the trail. Quickly, he hid behind a nearby Oak, knowing full well that he wasn''t supposed to be this far into the forest at this time of day. Hearing the footsteps come crashing closer, he couldn't help but peer curiously around the tree._

_Suddenly, a female elf clad in armour and a sword at her side came rushing around the corner. Rii's eyes widened. She had a mixture of fear and determination on her face. He was suddenly curious until he heard the distant shrieks of some unknown being. Then he heard the beating of wings and wondered if his dreams had come true, and a dragon had come to attack Silvermoon. Feverishly wishing he had never thought them up at all he glanced up to see the creature. Or creatures, for it was not a dragon at all, but a pack of the most fowl creatures he had ever seen. They had the batish wings of a dragon, but that's as far as the similarities went. They were a grey colour, with splashes of burgundy across their bodies. Their feet were clawed, as well as the ends of the wings. And their faces. They had the most horrid twisted faces, even his own overactive imagination could never have come up with such a terrifying being._

_ One of the creatures let out a shriek of glee as it spotted the female, and plunged towards the forest, the other three in pursuit. As Rii started to shake, he realised that now he could see them up closer, they were not spotted with burgundy at all. It was just heaps of drying blood._

_ He sank to the base of the tree, clamping his hand over his mouth to keep himself from screaming, although he wasn't sure if he could even if he tried. He watched in terror as the leading beast tackled the female, and with a defiant scream, she attempted to plunge her sword through it. It jerked its body just in time, but the sword grazed its side, causing it to shriek in agony. One against one, the elf surely could have culled the creature with her years of training and precision. But then the three other winged beings came crashing to the earth, and it was clear who was going to win this fight._

_ Her screams of defiance turned to screams of terror as the demonic beasts tore her flesh with their teeth and claws. Rii tore his eyes away from the horrible fight and covered his ears in hopes of cutting out the screams, whilst telling himself over and over again that this was a nightmare and he would wake up soon, in a cold sweat, as he usually did. _

_ He had always had nightmares for as long as he could remember. The most reoccurring one was always of dragons fighting. A pair would be pitted against many others, while in flight. They never won, and he always felt horror and despair as he was forced to watch as they lifelessly plunged to the earth._

_ Rii realised, sickened, that the screams had faded to almost nothing. Almost hating himself for it, he turned to look once more. The demons, as he had finally decided to call them, had decided to take off, satisfied with their kill. Then a terrible realisation came over him. The female, as maimed and bloody as she was, was still alive._

_ All the sudden he felt the need to go to her, as if he had known her all his life. As his feet brought him to her side, she gasped._

"_You must……," she sputtered helplessly, "You must…. Tell them of…."_

_Then with the last act of defiance she thrust her sword hilt into his hands and fell still._

_He felt tears stream down his face, as he kneeled at her body. His dreams, his _nightmares, _were all suddenly coming true._


	2. CH 1 5 Years Later

**5 Years Later...**

SIR Daniel's feet against the cobblestone road were the only noise in the dark forest. He paused to look around at the gloomy, tired trees and greying grass. There was complete silence, save for a few rustling leaves from a small breeze.

He knew the silence was due to the area's gradual decline towards disease and death. Almost like a curse, Duskwood had fallen prey to the darkness. The cemeteries and surrounding areas had been overrun by the risen dead, and packs of wolfish Worgen had made Duskwood their home.

The Alliance had been fighting the battle to keep their world free of the demonic Burning Legion, but their own homes have been falling to ruin due to their neglect. Much too late the lords of Stormwind City have realised this, and even later for them to do anything about it. That's why he was here. He was dragged back from the noble fight at the dark portal to wander the roads of the Human empire. Of course, they never expected bringing just one paladin back would actually make a difference, but it made them seem as though they were doing something about it.

He was near to the small town of Darkshire and was relieved for it, because he knew that he would be revered by the townsfolk and finally have a place to rest.

He paused briefly to recall the last time he had been in a warm, safe inn. His route had led him through Elwynn forest, to the logging camp. He had been welcomed into the home of a friendly family, but he had spent half of the night culling local vicious wildlife to calm the workers and residents, and was given barely enough time to rest for the next part of his journey.

He was brought back to reality by an almost unnoticeable sound of a scuff on the pathway. He tensed, readying himself to grab for his hammer strapped to his back. He didn't want to make any sudden moves, for fear of giving his knowledge of the attacker away. Then he shook his head.

_ Days alone are making me paranoid, _Daniel thought as he began to walk again. Then thinking about the town once more, he sighed wearily. He knew that it was less than an hours' walk from here, but it still felt like days away.

Daniel stopped suddenly. He had heard another scuff, louder this time.

_Or closer,_ he thought, scowling. He strained his ears. There it was, the unmistakeable sound of the quiet padding of boots. He cursed silently and casually began to walk again, carefully focusing on his peripheral vision to detect his pursuer. Sure enough, he spotted a figure moving between the trees. He raised an eyebrow. His follower seemed to lack the skill to disguise himself.

_An amateur_, he thought as he resisted the urge to smirk _I didn't think the Defias trained their rogues so poorly. _

The figure stumbled slightly over a tree root and Daniel once again had to keep from smirking. He started to contemplate the mind games he could play, or the best way to announce his knowledge of the stranger.

Then the paladin noticed the follower was inching closer. Daniel took a deep breath and readied himself to grab his weapon.

The pursuer then reached out hesitantly towards the paladin's belt. Daniel rolled his eyes. This thief was doing a terrible job at trying to steal his coin, which was bound securely to his belt.

In one swift motion, the paladin had gripped the thief's wrist. He turned to look at his pursuer.

The boy froze, startled. Daniel was surprised to see he wasn't wearing any of the traditional Defias garb (like the red mask), then he realised that it wasn't a boy at all. He had elongated ears, a slender figure, and vivid green eyes.

Suddenly assessing the seriousness of the situation, he snarled and wrenched his hammer from his back. He wasn't about to let a Blood elf tear him apart with magic.

As he swing it back to deal a blow, the elf struggled against his powerful grip, terrified. The paladin hesitated. It felt unjust to hurt a foe who was cowering, and as he looked closer, he realised the elf was young.

He also noticed there was something else about the elf that seemed different, but he was distracted by a shouting voice from behind him. He turned to see a group of men pulling out their swords.

One of the men stepped forward, then his eyes widened as the Alliance crest on the paladin's chest caught his eye.

"Sir," "The man saluted, and the rest of the men followed suit, "Captain Helvas Grange, of the Night Watch Militia."

He hesitated, glancing at the elf, then quickly continued, "He is an ally to us, not a threat. You can let him go."

Daniel glanced back at the elf suspiciously. Then, letting go of his wrist at last, answered, " Then why was he trying to steal from me?"

He stared pointedly at the Captain.

His brow furrowed, and he turned to the elf, " Rii, is that true?"

The elf looked away, then at the ground, and he replied, " I was just… business at the inn has been so slow and… Miss Trelayne needed the coin…" Rii finally brought his gaze up to meet the captain's eyes.

He gave the elf a tired look and sighed, "We can speak later, Rii…" he looked again at the paladin, "For now, how about we escort you back to town, Sir….?" He looked at the paladin questioningly.

"Daniel," He replied, grinning, "My apologies."

The captain laughed and gestured for him to follow, "perhaps you could tell us about why you walk these pathways, Paladin."

Daniel nodded and followed the party towards the town. He started to explain his duties, given to him by the Lords of Stormwind, as they made their way back to the town.

While telling his tale to the group, he glanced at the elf many times. The elf seemed withdrawn and didn't speak, or make eye contact with the rest of the group. He finally realised what seemed different about him. He was indeed a half-elf, although his features were somewhat rare. His ears were almost standard length for a high elf, but he had human-like eyebrows, and although his eyes didn't hold a glow, they were enough of a vivid green to seem so at a quick glance. Daniel's fiery anger had died away to curiosity completely, and although he never fully trusted elves, he was convinced the elfboy's actions were purely out of concern. Maybe that was due to the look of obvious shame on his face as they traveled back to the town.

Finally he saw the glowing lamps of the town looming in the distance, and he felt relief wash over him. It must have shown, because Cptn. Grange turned to one of the other scouts and said, " Go directly to the inn and see if Miss Trelayne can have a meal ready for our guest," He looked at Rii briefly and continued, "and tell her of the trouble her oldest has caused. I'm sure she won't hesitate to arrange for it to be complimentary."

"That isn't necessary," Daniel replied quickly, "I've plenty of coin to-"

"Nonsense," The captain grinned, then continued, " We're all honoured to have you in our town, helping us keep it from harm."

Daniel nodded, then replied, " I greatly appreciate it."

"I can't say for sure about the room, but.. After she hears about what this one has done…" He trailed off.

" I don't hold it against him, or your people," He smiled reassuringly at the captain, "We have all made rash decisions in our youth."

The captain looked relieved.

They passed two guards while entering the town, both of which saluted when Daniel walked by.

"Feel free to make yourself at home," Cptn. Grange piped up once they had made their way to the inn, " like I said, you're welcome here."

"Thank you," Daniel replied, nodding. Keeping up the pleasantries were starting to make him feel drained.

Cptn. Helvas then turned to the elfboy, " Rii, come with me."

He gestured, and Rii hung his head and followed the captain into the inn.

"Rii, what were you thinking?!?" exclaimed Cptn. Grange, as he paced back and forth.

He had brought Rii to the back room of the tavern. It was usually used for cooking, but it was vacant now, save for the two of them. The fire crackled gently and various pots sizzled.

Rii finally had the courage to speak," I just wanted-"

"Stealing! And from a paladin!" The captain continued, "Do you have any idea…!!?"

He sighed angrily and ran his fingers through his hair.

"If the other members of the Night Watch get wind of this…"

Rii couldn't think of anything to say to that, so he remained silent.

"They'll never approve of you joining. I won't be able to help you."

An icy feeling began to settle in Rii's chest as he finally realised the consequences of his actions.

"You _know_ some of the members already don't trust an elf to fight with the Night Watch! What am I supposed to say now?" He shook his head, "If only you could just use your head for once."

"Well since I'm no good at anything I try to do," Rii tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, "I thought I'd turn to something I should be naturally good at, like lying and stealing, and deceiving..."

"Don't be a smartass," Helvas glared at Rii, " I swear, your elven half is _really_ starting to show. At least you've got something right."

Rii scowled at the captain and turned to leave the room.

"We aren't finished, Rii!" He yelled after him as he stormed out.

Daniel was thankful the elfboy didn't notice him on his way out. He was waiting just outside the door to the room.

_I wasn't eavesdropping, _he thought to himself, _I was just planning to speak to the captain after._

And it was true, he was hoping to ask him about the progress against the Worgen and Undead in Duskwood, over ale. But he would admit, he was curious, albeit concerned, about the young half-elf. Maybe that was because half-elves were so rare, but he more so felt there was more to him then what met the eye. Also, coming from a small town himself, he was aware of the prejudice that exists against half-elves.

After waiting a moment, the paladin opened the door. The captain was seated at the table, looking very distraught.

"Captain," He began, and Helvas looked up, "I was hoping we could discuss the Undead and Worgen..." He trailed off as he noticed the look the captain was giving him.

"Nothing gets past a paladin, does it?" He asked.

"I wouldn't know what you mean," Daniel replied, plastering an obvious look of sarcasm on his face.

The captain sighed. "And I know what your thinking," he added. "I can't control how the townsfolk feel about him."

"Of course you can't," the paladin answered.

"But he's a good kid," the captain continued, although Daniel half thought the captain was telling himself as opposed to him, " He's just... misled."

His gaze seemed to wander as he lost himself in thought. Then he sighed, and focused on the paladin again.

"You wished to speak of the Undead and Worgen?"

Daniel nodded.

"Has there been any improvement?"

Captain Grange groaned, then rose to his feet.

"Spare me the privilege of a mug of ale for this discussion..."

Daniel laughed and gestured to the bartender.

------------

Rii had headed straight to the armory. The blacksmith, Clarise, had a soft spot for him, and made him a practice dummy behind the armory so he could improve his swordsmanship. Lately, he had found it a good way to calm his frustration, and he definitely was in need of that now.

It was quite an interesting piece of work actually, as it had been designed with help of Mr. Finbus Geargrind, the gnome engineer that had decided to make Darkshire his home. It had been made with various springs and gears, and it behaved more like a real foe. Rii made a mental note to speak with him once he was finished practicing. When Mr. Geargrind and the other gnomes had first arrived at Darkshire, Rii had been fascinated by his work, and his over-friendly, excited nature had caused the gnome to abandon his mistrustful attitude of the young half-elf. He had agreed to take him as an apprentice, and this week the gnome was going to teach him how to build a Blunderbuss. Rii never had any skill with a bow, but he was excited to see if he had the skill to use a gun instead.

After 30 minutes of practicing, Rii sheathed the sword and sat down on the armory steps, breathing heavily. His frustration had ebbed, and he could think more clearly now. Staring at the dummy, he wondered if he was really getting any better.

"_Well logically speaking, if you practice every day for 30 minutes, you skill level would roughly rise from 10-20 points every day at the least." _

He grinned as he imagined what the quirky gnome would say to his doubts. His thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind him.

"Hey, Rii!"

He turned to see who was calling him. It was Pierre, his younger brother (although they could have passed as the same age). Adopted younger brother, obviously. Miss Trelayne had agreed to take Rii in when he had arrived at the town. She already had a daughter and son of her own, but her heart went out to him. She welcomed him with open arms, even though her husband was off to war and she had barely enough coin to keep her own children fed.

"Hey Pierre," Rii instantly felt more cheerful.

Pierre laughed, and replied, "You wanna know somethin, Rii?"

"Okay," He responded, standing up.

Pierre grinned, and said, "You still sound like an elf when you talk."

Rii knew he was referring to his accent, and although in past years he had wished it would fade, it didn't bother him anymore.

"At least I'm not as short as a Dwarf," he shot back, and stuck out his tongue.

"I'm not short!" he exclaimed, "Your just tall."

Just then, a hen walked by, clucking and plucking at the grass for bugs and seeds.

Pierre's face brightened.

"Hey, wanna set chickens loose in the tavern again??"

Rii ears perked up instantly. He recalled the first time the two of them had thought the idea up. He had been worried that stuffing a bunch of chickens in a sack would hurt them, but Pierre had reassured them that they wouldn't be in there long, and would probably forget anyway. Then he remembered how much trouble they got into, and his face fell.

"No.. I can't. I'm already in enough trouble."

"Awe… I guess that's why Mum's looking for you… Hey, what did ya do? It musta been pretty bad."

"Yeah, it… was." Rii mumbled. Pierre looked at him questioningly, but Rii just looked uncomfortable.

"I'll tell you later okay?"

Pierre rolled his eyes.

"Fine…" He crossed his arms and looked out at the pathway that led into the forest.

"Wanna go exploring?" He jumped on some of the crates stacked behind the armory.

"You mean the southern path?" Rii shuffled his feet nervously, "The guards have been saying that Worgen attacks from the south are getting worse..."

"They're just sayin that to scare us," Pierre replied, "Nothin's changed, I bet."

Rii didn't look convinced. Pierre sighed exasperatedly and made his way to the pathway, then looked over his shoulder.

"What's the matter, _elf,_ … Chicken?"

Rii grinned and followed him.


	3. CH 2 Worgen Have Bad Breath

Worgen Have Bad Breath [CH 2]

THE COBBLESTONE PATHWAY continued past a few farming fields before winding into the forest. Rii was still nervous, but he wouldn't dare show it, for fear of being taunted by his step brother.

"I'll never haveta be scared of the forest once I start my lessons," Pierre said with a triumphant look on his face.

He had just recently been found to have the magical gift, and he was soon to be sent to Stormwind to apprentice as a mage.

"Although mum says I'll havta learn to talk more proper"

He laughed and shoved his cropped, scarlet hair out of his face. had always said Pierre had his father's haircolour, and Rii had to admit he had seen very few others with hair as red as his.

_Maybe only Humans with red hair can use magic,_ he thought, although he dismissed it as quickly as he had thought of it.

_What a stupid idea. The colour of you hair isn't going to change how you can wield magic._

He realised Pierre's brown eyes were focused on him, and he knew what he was waiting for.

He expected him to be excited for him, and congratulate him for it, but all Rii could do was smile weakly and look away.

He was jealous of his brother, since he himself was found to have no magical talent. All high elves have a natural affinity with magic, even half-elves, or at least their _supposed _to. He had never met another of elven blood who _couldn'_tuse magic, and was beginning to think he was the only one. With age, he had become more thankful for the absence of addiction in him, but he still felt isolated from his kind.

"Don't worry, I'll still come back after!" Pierre exclaimed, assuming Rii was upset over him leaving for Stormwind, "Then we can go out adventuring together!" his eyes lit up with excitement.

Rii nodded, trying to seem enthusiastic, and looked away again. His eyes settled on the grave yard in the distance and he shivered.

"Do you think there's any ghosts in there?" He asked, his eyes widening slightly.

Pierre looked in the direction he was focused on.

"Probably," he said loudly, and with Rii giving him a very unsettled look, he added, "They don't scare me, though."

Pierre's eyes wandered, then he perked up.

"Hey, look!" He exclaimed, pointing, "There's a path that goes around the graveyard…"

Rii looked at the graveyard again, and sure enough, there was a small dirt pathway winding around the graveyard, disappearing behind the rocky slope beyond.

Pierre's eyes glinted.

"Let's go."

He boldly headed towards the graveyard.

"But, Pierre… Maybe we should go back..." Rii said, eyeing the graveyard nervously.

"Why're you bein such a _baby_ today?" Pierre answered, annoyed.

He paused. "Are _all_ elves cowards?"

Rii glared at him and Pierre instantly knew that he'd gone too far.

"Well…" Pierre faltered.

Rii straightened up and trotted toward the pathway. He looked back at Pierre.

"Then let's go," Rii said, matching Pierre's tone.

Pierre shrugged and followed behind.

Once Rii reached the rocky slope, he abandoned the pathway and began to climb. He had already almost reached the plateau, but Pierre was still barely halfway up the slope.

"What's wrong, _human,_" he said mockingly, and flashed him a wicked grin. " Too steep for you?"

Pierre lobbed a rock at him, and Rii dodged it swiftly. "Hey! That could have hit me."

"Good..." Pierre huffed, breathing heavily from the climb. Rii grinned and helped his brother onto the plateau.

Rii looked out at the small valley to see where the dirt pathway led to. "I guess it just leads to an old mine or something…" He mumbled, taking in the scene below him.

Pierre grinned at him. "_Just _an old mine?"

Rii frowned, and opened his mouth to remind him about what horrendous monsters could possibly make an abandoned mine their home, but realising Pierre wasn't likely to listen, he closed it again.

Pierre clambered down the slope toward the mine, and he followed, biting his lip nervously. His instincts were telling him to go back, but he ignored them, not wanting to be called a coward again. He nervously scanned the trees and bushes as they passed them.

"See?!? There's nothin out here. It's all just stories to keep us close," Pierre shook his head, " I can't believe I listened."

Rii's ears perked up a little. Maybe his brother was right.

A piercing howl echoed through the valley and caused both of them to stop dead in their tracks. They were both silent, until Pierre finally spoke up.

"They're just wolves," he said reassuringly, although he was starting to look nervous.

"Wolves are still dangerous in packs," Rii mumbled, shivering. He could hear the alarm bells going off in his head. It wasn't right here, it was so quiet. He suddenly didn't care if Pierre called him a coward again.

"Pierre I think we should go."

He gave Rii a troubled look, then it changed to a sneer.

"_You _can leave scaredy-elf."

Rii ignored the insult. He knew how stubborn he could get, but he needed to get through to him how much danger they could be in.

"I'm not leaving you here by yourself."

Pierre was silent.

"And you know what else howls?" Rii continued.

Pierre opened his mouth to respond, but he was cut off by a malicious snarl. Rii turned his head to see what made the noise, his ears wilting in fear. There, standing atop the slope they had just stumbled down not barely a minute ago, were two of the most vicious wolfen creatures he had even seen.

They continued to sneer in glee at the two boys.

Pierre finally had the courage to speak.

"...Worgen"

* * *

"I believe we have a handle on the undead," Cptn. Helvas began, "But the Worgen are starting to get out of control. We think they might be spreading."

Daniel and Captain Grange had sat down in the tavern below the inn to discuss Duskwood and its surfacing problems. Some of the other townsfolk had come into the Tavern and began to reminisce of the days when Duskwood had not been so plagued. The hearth crackled, and the warming glow sent across the room could have fooled any traveler of the town's true personality. He cast his eyes downward at his mug, then continued, "You should speak to Commander Ebonlock. She can give you reports from all the units."

Daniel nodded. "I'll make sure to," he paused for a moment, "The Worgen… they haven't attacked the town, have they?"

The captain shook his head.

"No, not yet, but we've lost many guards on the pathways, and a few innocents as well," The captain sighed.

"Not even the main pathways are safe anymore."

Suddenly, , the innkeeper, rushed into the tavern. Her expression was laced with worry as she frantically looked around and spotted the captain.

"Captain!" she shouted, then her voice quieted as she reached the table, "Rii and Pierre are missing! I've looked everywhere and asked everyone…" She trailed off, but her small frame still shook with worry and fear.

"One of the other guards told me he saw two figures going into the forest," she continued, her voice choked.

"The forest? Why would they go in there? We've always warned them against that,"

Captain Grange replied, attempting to calm the woman down.

"I…I don't know…" she answered, putting her face in her hands.

The captain stood up and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you sure you've looked everywhere?" he asked her, beginning to look worried himself.

She nodded, her face still in her hands.

"Here, have a seat," he said offering his chair, " I'll speak with the Commander…. My apologies, Sir Daniel."

He gave the paladin a tight smile.

"I understand," He replied, giving a slight nod. Captain Grange turned and hurriedly made his way to the exit.

Daniel looked at . She had taken her hands away from her face and they now lay in her lap, but she still looked distraught.

"I'm sure they haven't strayed far," he said to her, " Not with the dangers. They would know better."

_Although, the elfboy, Rii, didn't seem too bright, _He thought. _Hopefully the other one is a little sharper._

Of course he didn't say this aloud. He instead continued with, "We'll find them," and gave her a reassuring smile.

She smiled back weakly.

"Thank you, Paladin. You give hope to all our people." Her eyes sparkled with admiration.

Daniel was taken aback. He knew this was the Lords of Stormwind's intentions, for him to spread hope and raise moral. He just never thought it would really work.

"Hopefully I can live up to that."

"I can't spare any watchers to look for them. We can't afford to lose anyone else," the commander replied, "I'm sure they're around the town."

"But Althea-" Helvas began.

"Please refer to me as 'Commander Ebonlocke' when we're discussing important matters."

The Commander didn't seem angry, but just slightly annoyed.

"As I've asked you many times before, Captain. But please continue." She tipped her head forward.

"They're young... Commander." He responded, "What if they have wandered into the forest?"

"And if they have?" Commander Ebonlocke raised an eyebrow.

"They could be in danger."

"And if they haven't, which they most likely have not, what about the men and women who risked their lives to look?"

Captain Grange was silent. He was expecting this sort of answer. He knew full well he was letting his emotions get in the way, but he cared deeply for the Trelaynes. The innkeeper's husband had been one of his closest friends, after all. That is, before he had signed up for the Stormwind recruitment and been shipped off to the Outlands. He had taken it as his responsibility to protect his family in his absence. It didn't help in the least that both Rii and Pierre (especially together) were the most troublesome of all the boys in their small town.

The commander's expression softened.

"I'm not trying to be cold, Captain," she continued. "But we just can't risk anymore lives. They have probably gotten up to trouble in the town somewhere. And if they have gone into the forest..." she trailed off, giving the captain a sympathetic look.

"I doubt they're coming back."

Helvas took in her words, then, taking a breath, responded.

"Then_ I'll_ look. With none of the other men."

The commander looked at him sharply.

"That is unwise, Captain. Wandering the pathways by yourself…"

"He won't be by himself."

Both Althea and Helvas turned. It was Daniel who had spoken. He turned to the captain.

" had to attend to another matter, so I decided to come out and discuss this with the Commander."

He then turned to the Commander.

"I'll help him search for the two boys. I am thankful to Captain Grange and the innkeeper for their hospitality." The paladin glanced over at Helvas, "I think it's time I earned my stay."

The Commander raised an eyebrow, then shrugged.

"I can't stop you. But for the light, please be careful. We don't need to lose anyone else."

* * *

"Don't make any sudden moves," Rii said quietly, "If we run or panic, they'll attack."

Pierre didn't respond. Even in his rising panic, Rii was surprised. He was expecting a snide remark about not being stupid, and that he knew how to handle it. He turned his head slowly to catch a glimpse of Pierre. He saw how pale he had gone, and was gripped by overwhelming fear. Pierre wasn't prepared for this.

He took slow breaths to help calm himself so he could think more clearly, as the beasts stalked closer, growling and bearing their teeth.

It was up to him.

His eyes darted back and forth between the two worgen.

If they ran, they would catch them.

They couldn't call for help, no one would hear them. And if they did, they wouldn't arrive in time.

Hiding wasn't an option, they had already been seen.

He struggled to come up with a solution. Soon the beasts would be surrounding them, and any hope of escaping would vanish.

Maybe distracting them… like throwing a rock or something… No, they are too smart for that.

His ears wilted in fear, until they were almost horizontal, as each possibility was scratched out of his mind. He looked again at Pierre, who hadn't moved.

There had to be something… his eyes caught the flash from his belt. Of course! He never took off his sword. Hope swelled inside him, then fell just as quickly.

He doubted he was able to kill even one Worgen, never mind two at once. He hadn't faced a true foe in over 5 years. His fingers rested nervously on the hilt, unable to decide.

Both the worgen had reached them. They were growling gleefully as they paced back and forth, taking in their fear. As one approached him, he could see the saliva dripping from it's mouth, the idea of a kill making it excited.

He heard Pierre whimper softly, and at that moment he decided.

Rii drew his sword, startling the creatures. The one directly in front of him snarled hatefully as it realised its plaything had turned into a threat.

His heart was thumping, and he briefly recalled when he had last felt this terrified.

_The last time I felt like this was…_

He didn't have time to finish the thought, because in that instant, the worgen lunged at him.

Faster that he could think, he had dodged the worgen's claws, and the beast drew back in shock. He brought his sword around in a spin, aiming for the worgen's throat.

Feeling the sword connect, the beast howled, but was cut short, for its throat had been torn open. It shuttered, and slumped to the ground, blood pooling quickly around it.

Rii was stunned from his own ability, although in the back of his mind he recalled learning to handle a sword that way in Silvermoon.

The second worgen took advantage of his shock and pounced, knocking him to the ground and causing him to drop his sword. Its claws connected with his chest, and slit a set of large, deep gashes. Rii gasped and ground his teeth in pain. The worgen bore down on him and went straight for his throat, realising the elfboy was too much of a threat to torture slowly. Rii's eyes widened and for a second, the image of the outrunner and the gargoyle flashed in his mind. He gritted his teeth in determination and wrapped his hands around the beasts neck, holding it's jaws from his throat. The worgen snarled angrily, gnashing it's teeth. He knew he couldn't match the beast's strength forever, and he could already feel the worgen overwhelming him. "Pierre!" He called out blindly to his brother, " Do... something!"

This seemed to snap Pierre out of the trance he was in. He frantically began to search the ground around him for something to use. His eyes fell on a large stick.

"Good enough!" He muttered to himself, picking up the stick.

The worgen raised its twisted arm above its head, claws flexed. Rii's eyes darted back and forth between the beast's clawed hand and it's fanged, gaping mouth, knowing all in an instant he was done, one way or another.

Pierre swung the large stick, and it connected with the beast's side. For a brief moment, it turned from Rii and roared hatefully at Pierre. Rii took this moment to grab for his sword.

The worgen realised instantly what he was doing and lunged for his throat again, determined to kill him before he had the sword ready. Rii had the sword in his hand, and with a rush of speed he never knew he had, he drew it back and ran it though the worgen's gaping mouth.

It's snarl turned into a gurgle, and the beast shuddered and fell still.

'Rii!" Pierre yelled, dropping the stick and rushing to drag him out from underneath the worgen's body.

He tried to help him stand up, but Rii didn't seem to have the strength, so he helped him to a nearby rock to sit on.

"You...You killed both of them!' Pierre exclaimed, gawking, " How did you…?"

Rii was barely listening. He was shaking violently, and felt lightheaded, and after glancing down at his chest, he realised why. The gashes left from the worgen's claws were bleeding profusely, and he could see the white of bone in some spots. He began to sway back and forth, feeling himself lose consciousness.

"Rii... Captain Grange and someone..."

He looked up at Pierre, his words fading in and out. He saw he was pointing, but didn't have the strength to turn and look.

Then there was a blinding light, and looking back down at his chest, he noticed the wounds had been healed. They were not completely gone, far from it, but they had stopped bleeding for the most part, and he could no longer see bone.

_But how can that be?_ He thought, confused. He looked up to see Captain Grange trying to get his attention.

"...ii! Rii! Can you…"

The edges of his vision turned black, and he lost consciousness.


	4. CH 3 I Think I Can, I Think I Can

Author's note: Apologies to all my followers for the delay in this chapter :( I decided to spend some time editing the older chapters (..."wooden stove". Did anyone else...catch that...? ), and I struggled to write this chapter for some reason. I finally ended up splitting the chapter in half because it was too long and changing the story around a little. I hope you enjoy it immensely :)

Lafein : What's wrong with Blood Elf Deathknights as heros? I mean, look at at all the _redeeming_ qualities they have:

"First, I'm going to suck the magic out of you, and then in your weakened state, I'm going to cut you down and raise you as a ghoul."

Sounds like hero traits to me. * shrugs * I guess I must be missing something.

Also, special thanks to Maria Kundakcioglu for editing on such short notice :)

* * *

Enjoy!

**I Think I Can, I Think I Can...**

_Her words echoed in his head._

"_You must...tell them of..."_

_He needed to get back to Silvermoon and tell someone about the demons. What if there were more? _

_Rii stumbled slightly, and lost his footing. He crashed into the ground, the sword slipping from his grasp and clattering against the earth._

_He struggled to get up, and grabbed for it, wincing at the new scrapes on his palms. He was never able to run for very long, and he was quickly losing his energy. _

_He had remained at the elf's side for some time, trying to stop the tears that had come from the shock of her death. He had managed to calm himself down enough to think straight, and decided on what to do. Thinking back, he shuddered and focused on blocking out the horrific scene._

_Finally, he reached the city wall. Panting heavily from the run, he scanned the gate for a guard. After a few moments, he realised there wasn't any guarding the gate, and scowled._

The only time I need one…

_He shook his head before rushing past the gates, and began to frantically search the pathways and roads._

_He spotted a guard with a group of elves, and exhaled in relief. _

_They were lounging around one of the small fountains built throughout the city. Some of the girls were giggling and staring at the guard intently as he spun his two-bladed sword in his hands and lashed out, as if to strike something._

_Rii darted towards the fountain._

"_Sir!" Rii called out, causing the guard and the group to turn to look at him. Not noticing the look of annoyance the guard gave him, he continued, "Something... horrible has... it was in the forest. _

"_There were demons… and..." He paused to take a few deep breaths to try and calm himself down._

_The guard gave him a skeptical look and crossed his arms, eyeing the bloodied sword in Rii's hand suspiciously. _

"_Are you sure you saw... 'demons'?" The guard pronounced it as if Rii didn't know what the word meant, and had gotten it confused with something else._

"_Oh, don't listen to the stupid half-elf," one of the she-elves interrupted as she stood up and walked towards them, "He probably just saw a Dragonhawk in the woods and got confused." _

_She smirked, and a snigger went through the group._

_Rii glared at the elf, but said nothing. Over the years he had learned it was better not to respond to theses kinds of insults. He turned back to the guard._

"_Please, you need to believe me," he pleaded, "I swear it was demons."_

_The guard raised an eyebrow at his words, but remained silent._

_Rii let out a frustrated sigh. Why wouldn't they listen?_

_A yell came from behind them._

"_Captain!" _

_They turned to see another guard rushing towards them._

_He halted in front of the Captain, his expression grim._

"_I found a body in the forest!"_

_Rii's hopes rose. Now they would believe him!_

_He looked back at the Captain, only to be met with an accusing stare._

"_So the blood on that sword you have," he began, "is supposed to be from 'demons'?"_

_Rii gawked for a moment before replying._

"_Y-Yes," he responded, stunned from the accusation._

"_Oh, really?" the Captain narrowed his eyes._

"_I didn't... She told me to…" He fumbled under the Captain's intense stare._

_The group of elves had been watching intently._

"_The little brat killed someone?!!" The she-elf exclaimed, backing up a few paces._

"_I wouldn't be surprised," replied another elf, one who had just decided to attach himself to her hip, " You know how _resentful _human-bloods can become."_

_She glared at him in annoyance, but he didn't seem to notice._

"_What? I...no!" Rii exclaimed, "The demons attacked her! They tore her to pieces." He choked on the last few words._

_A few of the elves gasped in horror at his words, and the Captain turned to the guard._

"_So?"_

_The guard straightened up._

"_Yes, sir?"_

_The Captain began to examine his nails._

"_Was the body... 'torn to pieces'?" He said, with an indifference that some might have found unnerving. _

_The guard's eyes shifted nervously between Rii and the Captain._

_He had seen the body, and the young half-elf could very well be telling the truth._

_The she-elf had been mauled by some sort of creature, and he had found this increasingly disturbing, as he didn't know of any animal that inhabited their forests that could maim someone like that. _

_On another note, he had noticed her armor and gear, so she was obviously an outrunner from one of the outposts. He doubted the young half-elf could ever have the skill to kill one of their outrunners without so much as a scratch._

"_Well?" The Captain said impatiently._

_He hesitated. Obviously the Captain realised this as well. He knew of the Captain's distaste for half breeds, and was most likely just looking for an excuse to mistreat the boy. As he glanced at the group, he realised he didn't have the courage to tell the Captain he had made a mistake, and almost feared how he would react if he did so in front of a crowd._

_The guard's gaze lingered on Rii for a moment, before focusing on the Captain._

"_No, Sir, she didn't look like she was attacked by a beast of any sort."_

_Rii stared at him in shock. The guard was lying!_

"_I guess that proves it then," The she-elf piped up again, "He's a killer. I hope he rots in a prison cell."_

"_That is, if he isn't exiled," Her friend added with a smirk, still attached to her hip._

"_...he can go live with the trolls," he heard another one mutter, and another snigger went through the group._

_They all continued to stare in glee, a hint of excitement lingering in their eyes._

_Rii was terrified. _

"_No…" he whimpered, his eyes darting between the group and the guard. He stared at the guard briefly, whom of which was avoiding his gaze._

"_You need to come with me," the Captain said, taking a step towards Rii and extending his hand to grab his arm._

_He leapt back instinctively, and the Captain glared at him. Rii knew that refusing the Captain would make his punishment worse, but he was too scared to care. _

_Before the Captain had a chance to react further, Rii had bolted down the road towards a cluster of homes. _

_He heard the Captain yelling out to other guards, ordering them to hunt him down. He was that much more relieved that the road broke off into a handful of pathways, making escape easier._

_As he ran through the alleyways, the guard's cries grew steadily fainter, but he could still hear the sound of footsteps trailing not far behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a shadow of a figure appearing from the building behind him. He gritted his teeth and twisted through more alleys, trying to lose his follower. _

_The stitch in his side was growing almost unbearable, and he reluctantly began to slow. He turned another corner and came to a halt._

_It was a dead end. The brick buildings melded seamlessly together here. _

_He could still hear the footsteps approaching from behind him. He gasped and frantically looked around for an escape that he might've missed. _

_The slowing footsteps echoed through the alleyway, and he gave up, realising his search was hopeless._

_Rii took a deep breath and turned around to face the guard._

_Ironically, it was the same guard that had lied to the Captain. He stood at the end of the ally, and hesitated before drawing his sword and taking a few steps towards the half-elf._

_Rii's ears had gone horizontal as he stared at the guard in fear, and he backed away._

_The guard paused as a yell from another guard echoed down the ally. _

_Guilt had been gnawing away at the guard's thoughts, and as much as he had tried to convince himself that a half-elf wasn't worth defending, it only seemed to make him realise how wrong he was._

_He gave Rii a sympathetic look._

"_I'm sorry I have to do this…" he trailed off as Rii whimpered and backed farther into the shadow cast by the buildings._

_He found he couldn't reach for the young half-elf, and cursed himself for being so weak willed. If he had been bold enough to tell the truth, this wouldn't have happened._

_He hesitated again, and lowered his weapon slightly as he eyed the half-elf._

_Rii was oddly frustrated. Why couldn't the guard just get it over with? _

_So many horrible things had happened so far, and it was only going to get worse. The guard was going to drag him back to the Captain, and who knows what they were going to do to him then? They thought he was a murderer._

_Another yell echoed through the alley._

_The guard straightened, and sheathed his sword. _

"_He hasn't gone this way!" he yelled back._

_He took a few steps backward, and Rii gave him a mixed look of shock and relief. The guard flashed him a weak smile before he turned and left the alleyway. _

_The cries of the guards began to fade away._

_Rii stood there, digesting the series of events._

_The guard had just given him a chance to escape... but where could he go? Guards all over the city were undoubtedly searching for him by now. _

_He sat down against the wall, biting his lip and mulling over his options._

_He began to examine the sword in his hand. The blood was beginning to dry on the curved edge. _

_After a moment of thought, he decided that a bloodied sword would only continue to cause him trouble, and wiped the blade with his own sleeve._

_He let out a sigh. If only he was able to tell the one person that he knew would listen. _

_He knew she was protecting Quel'Thalas' borders, and that it was more important that she was doing that than remaining in the city, but he still missed her. _

_He began to pick absently at the hilt as he tried to come up with a solution. Bright blue bands were coiled around the grip, with accents of gold on the guard and pommel._

_He grinned as he recalled the first time he held a sword._

_It was her who had taught him how to wield it properly, when his instructor had given up and claimed his human blood would always hold him back. Whenever he fell behind in his lessons, she would always be there, patiently guiding him through the steps, until he had mastered each strike and could perform them with ease._

_With a bow, however, he was not so fortunate. He struggled to acquire the precision with shot that the elves were known for, and frustrated his instructor almost nearly as much as he frustrated himself._

_When she had last been here, she had taken him again to the archery range. She believed that with practise, he could easily keep up with his peers. Rii had long since given up, but every once and awhile her encouragement sparked a flicker of confidence in him, that maybe she was right after all._

_For a moment he was caught up in his memories, and all the stress seemed to lift._

_Then his smile faded as he became aware of his situation again, and he grimaced, feeling lonelier than he did before._

_He shook his head in frustration._

There must be something…

_He paused, and his eyes widened. _

_The map! How could he have forgotten about that? _

_The last day before she had left again for the outpost, she had given him a map of Eversong Woods and marked the outpost she was at. _

"Only if there is an emergency_," she had said, "_Promise me that's the only time you'll use this._"_

_He had recognised the seriousness in her tone and had sworn. A few times he had been close to breaking that promise, when the bullying and frustration had gotten the better of him, but he was proud to say he had kept it so far._

_Unfortunately for him, he had slid the map safely under his mattress… back at the orphanage._

_He took a deep breath and got to his feet. _

I guess that's where I'm headed, then… _He thought._

_The sun was almost below the horizon and he could see the stars beginning to cut through the sky._

_Rii cocked his head, and listened carefully for any signs of the guards._

_After a few moments of silence, he finally decided it was safe enough. He made his way to the edge of the alleyway and slowly peered around the corner. It seemed vacant, save for the low wind that wound its way through the pathways. _

_He shivered, and carefully examined the area, not wanting to miss a guard that may have stayed behind._

_Satisfied the area was empty, he stepped out and slowly began to make his way through the alleyways, backtracking the way he had come._

_He was rarely out past sunset, and was astonished by the sight of the city at night._

_The lamps on the main street glowed dimly, illuminating the pathways and brushing gently against nearby structures. The normally blue and white buildings now appeared as a combination of shadowy grey and stark white, with the golden embellishments reflecting the light of the lamps and leaving disheveled rays of light splayed out against the ground or nearby objects._

_The streets were quiet, save for the echoes of an occasional party, or the laughter of a group of elves making their way back to their homes, not completely sober._

_He kept close to the walls, and remained in the growing shadows to avoid being noticed. He took in his surroundings, trying to determine where he was._

_He was lucky. The orphanage was barely a block away from where he stood. Avoiding the pathway, he slipped around the houses, heading towards the orphanage._

_He recognised it right away amongst the other buildings. Compared to the other homes, it was shorter in height, with the chipping paint and missing shingles almost suggested a rickety appearance._

_A weight seemed to lift off his chest as he approached the building. He briefly wondered if the captain had given up, or the guards were simply scouring another part of the city._

_He pulled a few of the crates at the side of the house on top of each other, so he'd be able to get onto the roof. _

_It wasn't uncommon for him to sneak out like this, although he had never gone through the window before. Usually, he just snuck out the door when no one was watching, and spent an hour or so outside the city. He was never out past dark, though, and was a little afraid of how would react if she caught him. Usually he was just scolded and sent to bed hungry, but…_

_He quietly climbed on the stack of crates, and crawled onto the roof._

_He was relieved to see the window had been left ajar, and slowly peeled it open far enough that he could fit through. He gently set the sword on the windowsill, and pulled himself through the window._

_As he began to lower himself to the floor, the sword slipped and noisily clattered to the floor. _

_He held his breath and scanned the beds to check if the sudden noise had woken any of the other children._

_They all still appeared to be fast asleep, and he breathed out in relief. He bent to pick up the sword._

"_Decided to go on another adventure_, raven boy?_" He froze as he recognised the sharp, sarcastic tone._

_He sighed loudly at what she had called him, and cocked his head to look in the direction of the voice. _

_His name was a slur of the Common word 'Raven' and the Thalassian word 'Arii'. Fully translated, it literally meant 'Raven Boy'. The name itself was... uncommon, to put it lightly, and disgracefully simple, and a few of the elves found pleasure in mocking him for it._

"_Yes, Say'lien, I did," he replied, returning her haughty tone, "I hope that wasn't a problem."_

_The young elf stood in the doorway, and continued to glare at him. In appearance, she would have seemed to be younger than him, but in reality, she was many years older._

"_Mother has been looking all over for you," She continued, "Father just left to notify the guards you've gone missing. I don't know why they waste their time."_

_He ignored her, and began to make his way to his bed. _

_Say'lien was the daughter of Mr and , and enjoyed reminding him and any of the other orphans about it. _

_She paused to wait for his response, and once it was clear she wasn't getting one, she began again._

"_I mean, it would be understandable if it was one of the others, but to expend this much effort over a half-elf..."_

_He suddenly felt very tired._

"_Say'lien... not right now, alright?"_

_He heard her make a loud 'Hmmph' , but didn't continue. _

_He went to pull up the mattress to look for the parchment, but stopped._

_A flutter of panic began in his chest._

"_He went to notify the guards?" he said, looking back at her._

"_Yes, _raven boy,_ guards." she crossed her arms, "Have you managed to grasp the concept, or should I repeat it for you again, slowly?"_

_He cursed under his breath, ignoring her insults for the moment. He would have to leave as soon as possible. _

_He turned his focus from the mattress and searched the floor for his pack. _

"_What's wrong with that?" she questioned, but he didn't answer, and she sighed loudly._

_Finally noticing the bag had been shoved far under the bed, he retrieved it and focused back on the map._

_He pulled up his mattress slightly, and relaxed as he caught sight of the piece of parchment._

"_No, your supposed to sleep _on_ the bed," she said with a smirk._

_He fought the urge to glare at her as he grabbed the map. He didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing her insults were bothering him._

_He stood up, putting the sword on the bed and unrolling the parchment._

"_What is…," Say'lien began again, then her eyes focused on the sword, "Why are you carrying around a sword, anyway?"_

"_It's a long story, and I don't really feel like telling you," he replied coldly, studying the map._

_She continued to give him a curious look, and her eyes widened as she noticed the stain of blood on his sleeve._

"_Why is it a problem that Father notified the guards?" she asked carefully._

_He caught her intense stare, and looked away._

"_Nevermind, it's nothing."_

_She crossed her arms._

"_What did you do?"_

_After a moment, he rolled the map up and shoved it into the bag._

"_I didn't do anything," he replied simply, "But I know what I'm about to do."_

"_And what would that be?" she said, her eyes narrowing._

_He slung the bag over his shoulder and grabbed the sword._

"_Leave."_

_She gawked at him for a moment._

"_What?!?"_

_He gave her a nonchalant shrug and walked towards the window._

"_So because your the Ranger-General's _pet_," she replied viciously, "You think you can come and go whenever you please?"_

_He dropped the pack onto the roof, and gave her a tired look._

"_Look…" he began, but trailed off as he caught the sound of the door opening downstairs. He heard footsteps, then speaking in a quiet tone._

"_A Murderer??!" he heard exclaim, and he winced as Say'lien's jaw dropped._

"_...I have to go," he finished quickly, and climbed out the window onto the roof._

"_You killed someone?!!?" she hissed, her eyed wide._

"_I didn't do _anything_…" he replied, then shook his head._

"_They just think I did."_

_Her expression changed, and he was both surprised and glad that she appeared to believe him._

"_Of course. You're not smart enough to be able to pull off murder."_

_He snorted and opened his mouth to reply, but the sound of footsteps on the stairs caused the words to die in his throat._

_Say'lien had heard it too, and began to wildly gesture for him to leave. He moved away from the window towards the stack of crates, and barely moments after, he heard the window close with a _Whumpp .

_He took a deep breath. He was on his own now._


End file.
